back to article LulzSec supergrass Sabu led attacks against Turkey – report

Just months after reports emerged that LulzSec "kingpin" turned FBI snitch Hector Xavier Monsegur had allegedly led cyber-attacks against foreign governments while under FBI control, a "cache of sealed court documents" has provided some more startling reading. Monsegur – who prosecutors insist is "Sabu", a leading figure in …

  1. Clive Galway
    WTF?

    FUBAR

    That is all there is to say really.

  2. Ross K Silver badge
    Holmes

    Anybody Surprised?

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    Do as I say, not as I do.

    Kind Regards,

    Your Government

  3. Google

    Federal

    I don't think that word means what you think it means

  4. Britt
    Black Helicopters

    Release

    Anyone that has been arrested for hacking while being directed by the FBI should be released. Or they should at least bring a case against the FBI

    1. Britt

      Re: Release

      I can understand the kneejerk reaction from the white knights thumbing me down but this is effectively a highly complex honey-trap for those arrested.

      I don't support hackers doing illegal acts but to be arrested for the crimes of acting as a government proxy should at least have some court time to bring the FBI in to line.

      But hey, some people see "hacker" and have a prolapse. If you want them arrested and jailed, do it for the crimes they committed by their own violation.

      1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: Britt Re: Release

        "....some people see "hacker" and have a prolapse...." RedHack are a bunch of Marxist-Lenninist skiddies who probably got on the FBI's radar at the request of the Turkish government. IIRC, they are currently listed as a terrorist entity by Turkey, which means they will be on Interpol's and the FBI's lists of potential terror threats. It does beg the question of how Sabu had links to such an extreme group as RedHack, though they appear to have been another of the core 'we-have-no-leader' leaders for the local Anonyputzs. I suspect this was a joint exercise between the FBI and Istanbul police to get evidence on Hammond and RedHack and their attack and communication techniques. The dolts at RedHack have recently painted an even bigger target on their backs by leaking the contact info and names of some US Embassy staff in Turkey, a move they dedicated to terrorist Sinan Cemgil, a Communist terrorist that was killed during the bungled rescue of three NATO technicians kidnapped by Cemgil's Marxist terror gang in Turkey.

        1. Mike VandeVelde
          Windows

          Re: Britt Release

          is terrorist getting all used up? now we need to resurrect the marxist boogeyman too in order to keep up the emphasis?

          "Marxist <illegal immigrant pedophile welfare case music pirate environmentalist> terror gang"

          there spruced it up for you. copylefted, have at er.

          1. dan1980

            Re: Britt Release

            @Mike VandeVelde

            Well, it's kind of what they are - it's their ideology. They're not in it for profit or for the 'lulz'; their reason for being is to further their underlying Marxist-Leninist ideals. I'm not passing judgment on if those ideals are good, bad or indifferent, just that they are the ideals held by this group.

            Some people believe them to be terrorists but I think we have all seen enough of that to reserve the term for those really deserving of it.

            I actually object to Matt's use of the word 'skiddies' - one he throws about whenever there are stories like this. While I don't care if the epithet is insulting to the group, it is dismissive of them. As a rule, it's not a good idea to underestimate those you wish to stop.

            @Lost all faith...

            I believe the 'threat' was simply to explain that his children would be but into a foster care system. I suspect there may also have been a more detailed exploration of how the would likely move from one home to another and may end up across the other side of the country, where they would grow up without him.

            1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
              WTF?

              Re: dan1980 Re: Britt Release

              ".....I actually object to Matt's use of the word 'skiddies'...." RedHack are more cafe 'Marxists' student types, happily living in and using the benefits of Western technology and culture whilst shrieking loudly about how 'unfair' it is. Unfortunately, such wannabe radicals often end up talking themselves into serious criminal acts for the sake of 'sticking it to The Man'. RedHack seem to recycle other people's downloaded hacking tools and target known security holes, which is the exact definition of a skiddie. Indeed, they needed Sabu to find them a resource - Hammond - to do the hacking bit for them, yet seem to like claiming to be 'leet haxors'. You may have sympathy with their political dribblings but that doesn't hide their obviously limited original skillz. On the technical level they are skiddies.

              1. dan1980

                Re: dan1980 Britt Release

                @Matt

                I never implied I had "sympathy [for] their political dribblings".

                My point is that branding them 'skiddies' is risky because it gives them a label and put them in a box that we then assume we understand. They are 'skiddies' so we only have to worry about them doing the kind of things that 'skiddies' do and don't have to protect ourselves from more advanced attacks.

                We put things in boxes because it's a convenient shorthand for us but it leaves us vulnerable when someone does something 'outside the box' that we have put them into.

                Many in 'The West', collectively, put Russia and Putin in a box of (as Obama put it) "a regional power", and not a serious geo-political threat. Even though some still maintain that label, it is become clear to most that putting Russia and Putin in that box seriously underestimated their long-term goals and the resolve they would pursue them with.

                I am not saying anyone is underestimating RedHack, just that labelling a potental threat and putting it in a neat box is, while often practical in the short term, rarely great for security.

                1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
                  Facepalm

                  Re: dan1980 Britt Release

                  ".....We put things in boxes because it's a convenient shorthand for us but it leaves us vulnerable when someone does something 'outside the box' that we have put them into....." Gee, do you think maybe the FBI taking an interest in the actions of RedHack Nd related skiddies might just imply some authorities do take the possible threat from these skiddies seriously? And even a skiddie managing to pull off a sophisticated attack using downloaded scripts is still a skiddie by definition.

                  ".....Many in 'The West', collectively, put Russia and Putin in a box....." Which has nothing to do with RedHack.

          2. Matt Bryant Silver badge
            Facepalm

            Re: Mike VandVelde Re: Britt Release

            "is terrorist getting all used up?....." RedHack espouse some rather nasty views with definite terror overtones. The really amazing bit is there are still mugs in this day and age that baaaah-lieve in Marxism.

  5. James 51

    I am surprised that no one has raised the issue of law enforcement throwing a heavy book at someone as a way to recruit talent on the cheap.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      WTF?

      I find this bit disturbing...

      "He was arrested by the Feds in June 2011 and turned, partially under pressure of what would happen to his two adopted children."

      What was the threat?

      1. Ben Tasker

        Knowing coppers, there probably was no explicit threat, more a what do you think will happen to your two kids if you're doing 20+ years?.

  6. admiraljkb
    Joke

    "The revelations also renew questions about whether the FBI – or some other agency working with the former LulzSec co-founder – was using hackers to gather foreign intelligence. The FBI has consistently denied doing so. "

    If I've learned anything from Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister - never believe anything until its officially denied.

    1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: admiraljkb

      "The revelations also renew questions about whether the FBI – or some other agency working with the former LulzSec co-founder – was using hackers to gather foreign intelligence. The FBI has consistently denied doing so. ". RedHack are a Marxist-Leninist skiddie group with links to both the Anonyputzs and nastier anti-Yank groups, so it is very obvious as to why the FBI would be keeping an eye on them. The 'using hackers to gather foreign intelligence' garbage is just more Leftie diversionary whining at the FBI investigating exactly the type of people they should be, and Sabu's and the Annyputzs' links to such groups exposes exactly the real politics behind their actions.

  7. LucreLout
    Terminator

    The more I read....

    ...about Sabu, the more spineless and snivelling I consider him.

    I'm not young enough to think there's ever really been honour amongst thieves (or other classes of criminal), but to actively encourage someone to do something that you're helping to ensure will see them handed 20 years of jail time is despicable.

    Ensuring someone else serves your jail time for you is the mark of a coward. Stay out of other peoples computers and you'll stay out of jail. If you want to take the risk and you get caught, then YOU have been caught: don't entrap others into doing what you've been doing so you can bargain your time down to nothing.

    1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

      Re: The more I read.... the less you know you can expect to be working for you

      In witness protection and/or source production with a smart mob on your tail and trail is not a real good deal, is it ....... but par for the FBI course, by all accounts both current and historic.

      There aint no secrets safe nowadays, haven't y'all heard? Where on Earth have y'all been hiding incommunicado?

      1. LucreLout

        Re: The more I read.... the less you know you can expect to be working for you

        "There aint no secrets safe nowadays, haven't y'all heard? Where on Earth have y'all been hiding incommunicado?"

        I can't tell you. It's a secret.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

        Re: The more I read when life sucks .......

        Pretty soon all hackers will be working for state agencies,,,, very disgusting to say the least.

        Life sucks...

        What has this world come to? ..... Anonymous Coward

        Methinks nowhere near all of them, AC, for the smartest of the smarter ones will be leading everything and anything with non-state private sector support and protection for their fabulously rewarding activities. I grant you that state agencies might be paying for them too, but to imagine they be working for state agencies is too far a stretch for even the most active of imaginations. Helping them in their endeavours and with their enquires is quite as much as can be reasonably expected.

        I would, of course, be extremely happy to retract and reconsider practically all of that should state agencies mature and evolve into organisations headed by entities and individuals more than capable of being in command and control of peace and prosperity rather than being as muppet puppets for programs pumping out and pimping for austerity and mayhem, war and inequitable division. Take my advice though, and don't be holding your breath on that happening any time sooner than the other matter being shared here as being most likely the future course of present virtual actions.

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

          1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

            Re: The more I read when life sucks ....... @ Anonymous Coward

            Deciding which state to then savour with one's favours is the challenge which listening analytical engines and systems are engaged in determining, AC, and deter mining if one is active in the field and excluded from present state team participation by virtue of one's alternative evolutionary and even revolutionary thinking.

            Methinks any state worth engaging with, will be themselves battling with the enigmatic conundrum which has them pondering the dilemma of being ideally quite proactive, and into beating one to the punch with a generous offer for one's services just at the right timely moment in cyberspace for command and control of its IT and media places/operating systems, rather than running the risk of the prize going to another and the Great Game being lost to be led by others.

            1. Someone Else Silver badge
              Coat

              Re: The more I read when life sucks ....... @ Anonymous Coward

              Methinks any state worth engaging with, will be themselves battling with the enigmatic conundrum which has them pondering the dilemma [...].

              In other words, choose Madagascar.

  8. This post has been deleted by its author

  9. Robert Helpmann??
    Childcatcher

    Jurisdiction?

    The FBI is going after foreign targets? I guess someone has to take up the slack with other three letter entities turning their focus homeward.

    1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
      FAIL

      Re: Robert Beyond Helpmann Re: Jurisdiction?

      "The FBI is going after foreign targets?....." Yeah, because Sabu - who obviously had links to such groups - was where? Oh, operating in New York, and co-ordinating with groups like the Anonyputzs on attacking US computers. And Jeremy Hammond was in Chicago. Do you need a map of the USA to help you work out where those cities are?

      1. Robert Helpmann??
        Childcatcher

        Re: Robert Beyond Helpmann Jurisdiction?

        "The New York Times previously reported how Monsegur worked with the FBI on cyber-attacks against governmental websites in Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria."

        Do you need a map of the USA to help you work out where those cities are?

        I will leave it to you to work out what is inside the US and not.

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